Fact Sheet: Extension of Comment Period for the Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Plan for 2004/2005

EPA is extending the comment period on the Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Plan for 2004/2005 by 30 days. The original comment period was set to end on February 17, 2004. The comment period now ends March 18, 2004.

On December 31, 2003, EPA announced the Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Plan for 2004/2005 in the Federal Register. The preliminary Plan proposed and requested comment on a plan and schedule for developing and revising effluent guidelines. EPA publishes an Effluent Guidelines Plan every other year. The Plan is required by Section 304(m) of the Clean Water Act.

Background on the Preliminary Plan

The Preliminary Plan describes the current status of EPA's planning for the effluent guidelines program, and presents the results of EPA's annual review of the effluent guidelines it has already promulgated for industrial categories. It also identifies industrial categories that EPA expects to investigate further for the possible development or revision of effluent limitations guidelines. You can view or download the complete text of the Federal Register notice and major supporting documents on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/guide/plan.html.

Effluent guidelines are national regulations that improve water quality by controlling the discharge of pollutants to surface waters and to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). Effluent guidelines are specific to an industry. EPA writes effluent guidelines for all types of industrial discharges – from manufacturing, agricultural, and service industries. EPA has already issued effluent guidelines for 55 industries. These regulations have prevented the discharge of more than 1.2 billion pounds of toxic pollutants a year and over 690 billion pounds of conventional and nonconventional pollutants a year.

For additional information concerning this action, you can contact Mr. Carey A. Johnston at (202) 566-1014 at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, Engineering and Analysis Division (4303T), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C., or you can send an e-mail to johnston.carey@epa.gov. You can view or download the complete text of the Federal Register notice on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/guide/plan.html.